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The World's Tallest Glass Tree is going up right now at Yerkes Observatory along Highway 67 in Williams Bay, Wisconsin. Under the inspirational guidance of Rob Elliott and glass maker Jason Mack, this endeavor is in its second year. They take donated glass from all over, spin it onto a pole, and create a 31-foot tree that will get topped with a huge star on December 17th in an event that you MUST see - especially if you want to see a world record happen!
In this episode, head State Trunk Tour Guide Eric Paulsen sits down in the studios of WLKG raido in Lake Geneva to discuss how this whole thing and the public events that include tree construction (which you can participate in) and a vendor market with over 20 artisans and others that can help you get your holiday shopping done while getting inspired. Learn how glass gets made, how it's recycled, and how it is spun into a 31-foot tall Christmas Tree, right there in the front yard of Yerkes Observatory!
This tree is constructed with donated glass from around the area. People are welcome to come and bring their empty glass bottles, jars, and they'll melt that glass down right on site with a portable furnace and spin it into the tree's construction. You can even help - and learn.
Tree construction is underway, and these next few Friday-Sunday weekends (December 1-3, 8-10, and 15-17, 2023) you can join in. The BIG event is the topping of the tree on Sunday, December 17th!
If you've ever wanted to learn about glass blowing, get your own custom glass-blown ornament, or contribute to a world record being set - all while checking out the beautiful Yerkes Observatory abutting Geneva Lake - THIS is the time. They'll even have a specialty beer made by nearby Deusterbeck's Brewing that specifically commemorates the tree! They're also working with Enlightened Brewing out of Milwaukee and the classic Seipp's Beer out of Chicago, which offers their beer at Black Point Estate nearby for some special releases, too. We cover all of this, plus stories and even the challenges of trying to make it a Guinness World Record. Hit Highway 67 between U.S. 14 and Highway 50 in Walworth County, you'll find Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay. The events you can attend run Dec. 1-3, 8-10, and 15-17 - and on Sunday, December 17th they have their MAIN event, when they present the finished tree and top it off with the beautiful star. Find out more on StateTrunkTour.com and directly at WorldsTallestGlassTree.com!

Marshfield, Wisconsin's "Hub City," continues to grow and offer more for visitors to experience. It starts with Central Avenue, the main artery offering some fantastic shopping, great restaurants and more to explore along with the Jurustic Park Downtown Walk. Within blocks, a wide variety of other attractions abound year 'round. This city of 20,000 is anchored by Marshfield Clinic, a world class medical center that has attracted a diverse population and gives the town bigger city vibes.
In this episode, Eric Paulsen talks with Matt McLean from VISIT Marshfield about all of this, plus the upcoming Maple Fall Fest that, coupled with Blue Heron Brewpub's Oktoberfest, will prove to be a great place to visit the weekend of September 16 & 17, 2023.
Maple Fall Fest will feature amazing food, drinks, kids activities, games, baby goats to pet, even pumpkin bowling and Nerf-style ax throwing. There will be performances from the Main Street Conservatory of Dance, grilling fun with Mad Dog & Merrill, even Wildwood Zoo Tours. And yes, lots of maple.
The Zoo is a major feature of Wildwood Park, puncuated by two Kodiak bears in a large, 40,000 square foot natural area complete with a pond and an overhead bridge. A variety of other animals can be viewed and learned about at this free zoo, too.
We also discuss the Chustnut Center for the arts, the Heritage Museum, Wenzel Family Plaza, Visual Arts Gallery, Upham Mansion, and nearby attractions including Powers Bluff, the Nasonville Dairy, and upcoming events like Marshfield's Winter Rotary Holiday Lights. Wenzel Family Plaza hosts an ice skating rinks in the winter months, too!
It came up in conversation that Marshfield recently hosted the World's Longest Meat SnackStick, a creation of nearby Wenzel Farms. This, coupled with the fact that the city has the World's Largest Round Barn, led to some spontaneous ideas. We discuss it all in this episode of the State Trunk Tour Podcast. Find out more on StateTrunkTour.com and VisitMarshfield.com!

Oconto County, tucked into northeastern Wisconsin, offers a lot on your road trip. In the episode, host Eric Paulsen talks with Oconto County Tourism Director Sammy Boucher to discuss it all. We begin with the county's extensive trails for motorized recreaton, especially with Gillett laying claim to the "ATV Capital of the World" (with a stop there at OJ's for pie being a must!) Amidst the beauty of the Nicolet National Forest, you can enjoy Mountain, Lakewood, and Townsend along Highway 32 - including two wineries: the Woodland Trails & Winery in Lakewood and the new Lakehouse Winery in Townsend, where they make Wine Bloody Marys. Closer to Oconto itself, Copper Culture State Park offers plenty to see and new trail connections to the rest of the system. In Oconto itself, Sammy talks about the new and emerging shops in downtown, touring the first Christian Science Church in the world, and checking out the historic Beyer House & Carriage Museum which includes electric vehicles - from over 110 years ago!
Oconto is growing, too. With companies like Cruisers Yachts and various other industries across Oconto County, some good and new employment opportunities exist!
Speaking of new things across Oconto County, Lena now features the Dirt City Motorplex, a very cool dirt track with modern facilities located right off U.S. 141 - with a major event coming up at the end of July. Back to the waters of Lake Michigan, Oconto's Breakwater Park & Harbor is home to some major fishing tournaments. The Marina is a great place to launch, or pull in for a visit. Shout out to The Dockside for a meal when you visit! Another must-stop is where U.S. 41 & 141 split (or merge, depending on your direction) in Abrams: enjoy a treat at the Timberlea Drive-In, one of Sam's favorites! We cap off our conversation with major events coming up, including races at Dirt City Motorplex, the massive Art Fair in Lakewood & Townsend in mid-August, and more. Hit U.S. 41, U.S. 141, Highways 22, 32, or 64, and extensive county and forest roads for a great road trip and fun experiences in Oconto County. You can find out more at OcontoCounty.org, too!

Milwaukee's legendary Summerfest turns 55 this year, and 2023 brings new experiences, changes and upgrades, and another amazing lineup of artists across multiple genres - over 600 performances to choose from. Running June 22-24, June 29-July 1, and July 6-8, 2023, Eric Paulsen and Sarah Pancheri cover all aspects of the festival, including select performances, the return of the "hole in one" golf challange over the water and Freeway Flyers to easily arrive to depart from the grounds, the Summerfest app, and ways you can get in at discounted rates or even free. We have more on StateTrunkTour.com; meanwhile, enjoy our conversation with Sarah about Summerfest - right under I-794, and US 18 and Highway 32 both bring you within sight of the festival! Perfect for a music- and fun-oriented road trip in Wisconsin.

Port Washington is awash in history and both natural and architectural beauty. But the variety of things to do and see - and the events you can experience - are growing rapidly. Eric sits down with Wayne Chrusciel, Executive Director of Port Washington Tourism, for an update on what's happening in this charming, often serene but increasingly busting little city with the big harbor on Lake Michigan. The 1860 Lighthouse & Museum with St. Mary's Church are part of the reason downtown Port Washington has the largest collection of pre-Civil War buildings in Wisconsin. Art is growing in Port Washington, which beat out locations across 11 states to become the Midwest representative for the Mosaic Murals, kicking off some mural momentum in town. Lake Michigan's opportunity to enjoy swimming, boating, surfing, and beaches is unsurpassed anywhere in the state, and the city is flanked by spectacular parks, including Harrington Beach State Park to the north and Lions Den Gorge County Park to the south. Kids can enjoy all of these amenities as well as places like the Possibility Playground, which is accessible to everyone while offering beautiful views from the bluff. Inventors Brewpub offers terrific craft beer and is in the process of expanding to a new downtown venue. Vines to Cellar Winery not only makes and offers great wines, but also gives you extra opportunities to learn about wine and even make your own. Coal Dock Park is starting to blossom as a place to walk, enjoy the views, and some emerging events. Events in Port Washington include the Port Festival of the Arts, Fall Fest, Christmas on the Corner, and the legendary Fish Days are BACK in mid-July - and running multiple days again! Meanwhile this summer, every Saturday from June through October Port Washington offers their comprehensive farmers market in the morning hours downtown and a beer garden in the afternoon in Upper Lake Park, right across from Possibility Playground. And their downtown hotel just got a major update and reopened, so you have a walkable lodging option. Check out more on StateTrunkTour.com and VisitPortWashington.com!

Lake Geneva has always offered a dizzying array of great options for winter fun, and this year they up the ante with the World's Tallest Glass Tree at the newly-reopened Yerkes Observatory. Eric joins VISIT Lake Geneva CEO Stephanie Klett to cover a lot of ground for all the activities you can experience and enjoy from world-class attractions, arts, events, and shows to boutique shopping and food and beverage experiences in this whirlwind episode. Remember, U.S. 12 and Highways 50, 67 and 120 bring you to the area!